Exercising-machine



(No Model.)

J. E. DOWD. EXEROISING MACHINE.

No. 426,249. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. DOVVD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXERClSlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,249, dated April 22, 1890. Application filed January 4:, 1890- Serial No. 335,852. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. DOWD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Health and Strength EX- ercisers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of portable exercising apparatus by which the gravity of weights is used to resist, and therefore develop, the action of the muscles and fascia of the'human body when being exercised.

My exercising apparatus belongs to that class in which the weights are suspended from a bracket, and when the apparatus is in action the weights are caused to move up and down by the movements of the person exercising. The apparatus commonly used requires vertical posts at each side of the weightholder, which act as guides to pre vent the weights and holder from vibrating when suddenly raised and lowered; also, considerable space is required between the floor and the bracket for the travel of the weight-holder, which, by my new construction, is reduced one'half in comparison to the ordinary apparatus. A portable apparatus of this character adapted to the home, office, or school, and which can be quickly adjusted by a child, adult, invalid, or athlete, and be placed in operative position by unskilled help, has long been wanted. Therefore my object is to pro Vide a construction which avoids the use of guides for the weightholder, and which will not cause any vibration thereof, even when submitted to the most violent movements 11 eeessary in many kinds of exercisin A further object is a construction so simple that it can be placed in the market at a price within the reach of every one of ordinary means.

I attain these objects by the following described mechanism.

Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as it appears when in position for leg exercises. Fig. 2 shows a detached perspective view of the swinging bracket from which the apparatus is suspended. Fig. 3 shows a perspective viewof the part which is secured to the wall or a post, and to which part the bracket is hinged.

The bracket A is movably secured to the part B between two lugs a and Z), and through the lugs and the end 0 of the bracket A passes a pin cl, which forms a hinge, so that the bracket can vibrate sidewise, and thus always automatically assume a position in line with the one exercising.

At 0 and D are pulleys, which are j ournaled to stud-pins c and e, which are firmly secured to the projecting arms n and 'n of the bracket A.

At 0 and 0 are arms which project to the right and left of the bracket A, and near their ends are holes 0* and r in line with the pulleys O and D. Into the holes 0' and r are secured the ends of the ropes s and s, and these ropes pass downward to and half around pulleys E and F, which are journaled to stud-pins which are firmly secured to the ends of the cross-bar G of the weight-holder. The ropes s and s then pass up to and half around pulleys C and D, and thence down to the-crossbar H, where their ends are attached at t and i.

To the center of the cross-bar G of the weight-holder is secured the rod 1, t0 the lower end of which the weight J is suspended. The rod I is made of such length between the crossbar II and weight J that a number of other weights can be added whenever necessary to increase the gravity of the weightholder.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is arranged for taking leg exercises. To the center of the cross-piece II, at u, is attached a single rope e, which passes down to and one-quarter around. the pulley K. To the end of rope u may be attached a leather strap, stirrup, or any other device by which it can be attached to the foot, as will be readily understood by those skilled in teaching the science to which this apparatus belongs.

The arm L for holding the pulley K in the proper position for receiving the rope o is a necessary part of this apparatus, and is hinged to a post M. between two lugs 00 and 'y by means of a pin a. This pin, being in a vertical position, permits the arm L to swing 2 l l r 426,249

either to the right or left with the position of the exerciser, and thus keeps the ropeo always in line with the pulley K.

When the apparatus is not in use, it is ob- 5 vious that the arm L can be swung around either to the right or left against the wall or post to which it is attached, and thus not form an obstruction.

When taking exercises for the development to of the arms and breast muscles, the rope 11 may be detached from the cross-piece H, and two ropes, as usual,be attached at the central hole a, these ropes being provided with handles to be grasped by the right and left hand 15 and operated in a manner as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

In apparatus of this kind, as usually constructed, the ends of the ropes s and s are attached directly to the ends of the crossbar G of the weight=holder, and on this account the holder is always subject to considerable annoying vibration, while with my construction, having the pulleys E and F for the ropes 'to pass over and having the ends of the ropes attached at r and r of the bracket A, no guides for the weight-holder are required, and the apparatus can easily be made portable at much less expense, and will operate with much more comfort to the person exercising;

also, the addition of the pulleys E and F changes the conditions of the ordinary apparatus, so that the exerciser can use three feet of rope at a sweep of the arm or leg, when but eighteen inches of a rise or fall of the Weight-holder occurs. Thus the actual rise and fall of the weight-holder is but one-half under the pulleys on said holder and attached to an arm of the bracket, and means for operating the same, substantially as described.

2. In an exercising apparatus, two pulleys E and F, j ournaled to the weight-holder G, in combination with two pulleys O and D, journaled to a horizontally-swinging supportingvbracket A, ropes s and 3', having one of their ends attached to arms 0 and 0 of the said bracket A at the rear of said pulleys Q and D, thence passing down to and half around pulleys E and F at the weight-holder G, thence upward to and one-half around said pulleys C and D, thence downward to and attached to a cross-piece H at its ends 25 t the whole in combination with rope 1), whose upper end is attached to the center of cross-piece H, horizontally-vibrating arm L, pulley K, journaled at the end of said arm L, with rope o, operating on said pulley K, for the purpose as shown and described.

JOHN E. DOVVD. Witnesses: I

FRED HAISLER, FRANKI'I. BARMM. 

